Retroreflecting surface



Aug. 9, E960 G. T. HoDGsQN, JR., ETAL RETROREFLECTING SURFACE Filed June 6. 1956 Figi INVENTORS George T. Hodgson ,Jn ober C. wells f Bedford, Mass., assignors, by mesne assignments, to (()Ilutaphote Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Filed June 6,1956, ser. No. 589,751

claims. (c1. ss-sz) This `invention relates to surfaces capable of rettoreectlng light and more particularly to a novel arrangement of glass vbeads suitable for forming such light-reliecting vsurfaces.V` The term retroreilection is hereinafter used to designatera lreflective surface or area which will reliect an incident beam or ray of light in `such a manner that a brilliant cone Vof light, such as might come from an automobileheadlight,v is selectively returned to the source even though the incident light strikes the reflecting surface at an angle. 'Ihus the term distinguishes this type of reflection from that achieved by a mirror which gives a specular reflection and from a diffusing surface which diffuses or dissipates the incident light in all directions.

Reflectors of `t-he retroreecting type 4are generally employed Where the incident beam strikes a reecting sur-l face whichvis otherwise in partial or total darkness. In particular, retroreecting surfaces are used on highway marking signs and advertising signs. In such cases, it is absolutely essential that the reflection is transmitted back `to-the source of the incident light, even though the incidenrt light may strike the reflecting surface at an angle. In the case of highway marking signs it is also necessary that a maximum amount of brilliancy is retained so that the sign may bewisible from a suitable distance and may be clear enough to -avoid any possible misinterpretation of its meaning.

Retroreflecting surfaces, as now made and used, are of -two general types. The first or older type consists of glass beads, serving as spherical lenses, partiallyembedded inra diiiusely reecting, white base layer 4lilled with fwhite pigmentwhich serves both as the adhesive and the reflecting surface. The second, or newer type, consists of spherical bead .lenses embedded in a .colorless organic binder and having a more-or-less specularly reflecting metal .surface placed in the' binder or adjacent to i-t so that a denite and predeterminedfdistance between lthe glass beads and the metal sur-face is maintained. This ydistance is critical and is required in order to' attain proper focusing of the bead lenses according to the refractive index of the glass beads. (See for example U.S. Patents 2,294,930, 2,354,018, and 2,407,680.)

rIn jboth Vof, these types'of retroreflecting surfaces, the lens effect of the beads depends not only on the refractive index of the bead but also on the refractive index of the mediumrsurrounding it, which may be used both as an adhesive to x the bead in place, and as a coating over the upper, exposed portion of the bead. In fact, a term which may be referred to as an effective refractive index ofa -glass'bead partially or wholly embedded in a transparentorganic binder may be deneda's theA refractive index ofthe glass divided by the refractive index of the binder. Since the commonly-used organic binders suitable f or this application exhibit refractive indices ofthe Order of 1.4, it means that a glass bead having a refractive index of 1.9 embedded in such a binder and depending upon the binder to serve as a focal point would haveangefectve refractive indexof v1.9/:1.4 `or-about 1.4.A 'Decreasing the refractive index increases Vthe focal length of the glass bead lens and this situation can only be corrected in the case of the second type of reiiectors described by increasing the distance from the glass `bead to the 'metal sur-face and hence increasing the amount of plastic binder, or by using glasses having refractive indices above 2. Since 4the manufacture of glass 'haw ing a refractive index of 2 or greater is dicult and expensive, only the solution of increasing the binder layer thickness 'appears feasible.

'In' the case of the first type of'retrorellectors described, the decrease in effective refractive index detracts markedly from the brilliance attained since the diffusion is materially increased,-which, when considered in connection with the spherical aberrations inherent in the yglass beads, means a very ineffective reflector ofthe type sought.' In this type of retroreliector the eiiiciency of reflection depends on the reflectivity of the base pigment which is normally low. Moreover, the pigment shows a tendency to diffuse light rather than reflect it, and usually the reecting surface isnot at the focal point of the beads attached to it. The simultaneous requirements that the binder possess good adhesion lfor the glass beads and be reective severely limits the choice of a suitable base paint for the first type of ret-roreflector now in use, Y The critical conditions which must be met in achieving good performance from the second type of retroreflectors now used, land particularly the requirement that -a predetermined distance must be maintained between the glass-beads and the metal reflector, means that this type yof Vretroreflector can be made and marketed only asa composite sheet built up of :layers of closely controlled properties.A Hence, this type of coating or retro reflecting surface cannot be applied in situ on existing signs, or on surfaces, such as rough or corrugated areas, Where it is impractical or impossible to apply a fairly rigid sheet.` Furthermore, the degree of angularity (defined as the ability of the retroreector to maintain brilliancy at increasing angles of incidence) depends to some extent on the spacing between the beads and the reiiecting layer of metal. A large increase in'angularity can beobtained only at the expense of brilliance.- Y

In addition, beaded surfaces -which are not smoothed olf by filling in the depressions formed by the beads curved surfaces can have vtheir effectiveness as retroreflect-ors materially `decreased by mud dust, and dirt deposited on them. Since highway signs cannot becontinuously wiped off because of the-maintenance costs, it is very desirable to havea retroreilecting surface which is efficient and at the same time smooth. Such'a smooth surface is less conductive to dirt and dust build-up and permits rain to Washol any harmful accumulations of dirt from the retroreiiecting surface.

From the above discussion of the two general types of retroreflectors now in use, it may be seen that it would be ydesirable to have a retroreecting surface which was unaffected by the relatively high refractive index of an organic binder or of la pigmentdbinder layer, and which could achieve a wide variation in angularity Without a corresponding sacrifice in reflectivity or brilliance. It Would-also be desirable to have a reflector of this type which may be applied in situ, i.e., on signs, roadmarkers, etc.,which,means it would be free of the stringent manufacturing controls and the necessity of being applied as a sheet material.

It isthereforeran object of this invention 'to-provide a retroreilecting sur-face made -up of lglass beads attached to an area by means of an adhesive, the index of refraction of which has no influence upon the beads performance as retroreflectors. Y

It is Ianother object of this invention to provide aretroreecting surface which has no predetermined` distances Patented Aug. 9,1950- between the beads and a reflecting surface. The Aattainment of this object means that such retroreflectors may be satisfactorily made without stringent manufacturing control, and that increased angularity may be attained without undue loss of brilliance. It is a further object, in view of the elimination of such manufacturing control, to provide a retrorellecting surface which may be applied in situ. Itis still -a further object to provide such a surface which may he applied in situ tobases, signs, etc., which are ldliicult or impossible to make retroretlecting lby aflixing a fairly rigid sheet whichis a prepared retroreectng surface.

Itis another object of this invention to provide a retroreector which lis not dependent upon Vor Iadversely affected by 4therelatively high index of refraction of the Y ordinary organicbinders used to ,hold the glass beads in place. It is still anotherr'object to provide retroreflectors the performance of which is determined by the refractive indexI of `only the glass beads `and which is therefore reliable and predictable.

Itisan additional bject to provide retroreliecting surfaces` which are smooth, and which,V because of their smoothness, are much yless susceptible to dirt accumulation |because of their proximity 'to highways. It is still an additional object to provide this smooth surface without loss of retroreiiecting efficiency.A Y

It is a further object of this invention to provide a retroreliector which makes possible the use of specular reflectors of high efficiency. Y

These and other objects will become apparent in the following description of the retroreflector of this invention.

YThe improved performance of the retroreector of this invention is Aobtained by the use of glass beads, of the desired refractive index, which are contacted on one side by a reflective material land on the opposite Vside by a layer of air. A .thin transparent film is stretched over the exposed surface and means Vare provided for holding the transparent covering film in a fixed position 'with respect to the beads and reliective material. The covering iilm may be permanently attached at certain anchoring points which rise above the level of the retroreliecting beads in such a manner as to leave the air layer which may be of monomolecular dimension between the retroretlecting beads and the smooth surface thus created by the transparent lilrn. The air layer having a refractive index of 1.0 means that elective. refractive index of the retroreflecting glass beads is not decreased.

The practice of this invention may now be more fully set forth with regard to the .accompanying drawings'in which:

Fig. l is a much enlarged cross-sectionalA view of a section of a retroreflectin-g surface showing the manner in which incident light is reliected;

Fig. 2 is a much enlarged cross-sectional view of a section of one type of retroreliecting surface made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 3 is a much enlarged cross-sectional view of a section of `another type of retroreliecting surface made in accordance with this invention; and I Fig. 4 is a plan view, partially in cut-away representation, of the retroreilecting surface of this invention.

In Fig. l, the retroreflecting beads are held in contact with a reiiecting material 12 by means of a suitable adhesive 14. An anchoring point is here supplied by a bead 16 having a diameter greater than any of the retnoreecting beads 10. Anchoring bead 16 is aixed to reflecting material 12 on oneside and to transparent covering film 18, by means,` of adhesive 20, on the opposite side. The transparent film thus stretched from anchoring point to' anchoring point creates a smooth over-all surface and atthe Sametime leaves a layer of air 22 over retoellecting beads IQ.; 4Il lcidentlight, such @s represented. .by beams A; passes. through lm 18; and ihflgh ai? laye? 22. Wthvut deectoa `t0 cuter 'retroreliecting bead 10. Beads having relatively high indices of refraction and acting as a lens rwill have focal points near to or at their points of contact with reecting material 12. The incident light will then be reected in beam B, parallel or almost parallel to beam A. Thus it is that only the refractive index of the retroreliecting beads need be considered.-

Themaintainingof a layer of air above the retroreflecting beads thus permits the user of the beads at their maximum eiciency, ie., highest effective refractive index, and under optimum conditions, while the lm used to maintain the air layer above the retroreecting beads furnishes a smooth surface which Will remain relatively free of dirt and which will be more effectively washed by rain than if the bealsA were uncovered or otherwise not smoothed over. f Y Y Figs. `2 and 3, in which like numbers refer to like elements in Fig. l, illustrate two possible variations in the retroreflecting surface of this invention. Thus, in Fig. 2 the reflecting material 12 is affixed to a supporting. sheet 24 by means of an adhesive material 26. The retroreecting beads 10 are placed against the reflecting material 12 with sufficient pressure to cause the reflecting material to partly conform to the bottom sections of the retroreflecting beads. Adhesive 14 fills in the small voids between the beads. By forcing the reflecting material to conform to the bottom portion of the retroreflecting beads an extended portion of the surface area of each bead is in contact with the reflecting material, and a larger Vreliecting area is available to reliect the incident light than if the beads contacted the reflecting material at a point. By thus maintaining a larger rellective surface at the focal point of the individual retroreflecting beads, a greater degree of angularity is achieved for the retroreflecting surface. In the modification illustrated in Fig. 2, the film 18 is aixed in proper relationship to beads 10 by being attached to anchoring network 15.

y In Fig. 3, the retroreectiug beads are contacted with reliecting material 12, the adhesive filling in the small spaces between the beads. The covering film 18 may be stretched tight as shown in Fig. 2 or may be permitted to sag between anchor points as in Fig. 3. This sagging may be permitted as long as the film 18 do not optically touch the retroreilecting beads 10.

p The anchoring points may be in the form of a mesh 15 in Fig. 2 or of a larger bead 16 in Fig. 3. Any other suitable arrangement which permits the film tobe raised sufficiently above `the beads to provide the required` air layer may be acceptable to the practice of this invention. Thus, for example, aV grid work or mesh may be laid down and aflixed to the reflecting material and the retroreflecting beads placed and permanently adhered to the reflecting material in the mesh openings. This, of course, requires that the mesh openings be equivalent to at least several diameters of the retroreiiecting beads and that the material making up the mesh be somewhat larger in cross-section than the bead diameter. Since the grid work or mesh supplying the anchoring points for the covering film does not enter into the optics of the nal retroreecting surface, it may beof any suitable material such as, for example, vinyl screening, nylon screening, coarsely-woven fabrics such as cheese cloth, metal screening, or the like. As pointed out, the mesh size will be determined Awith regard to the size of the retroreflecting beads used.

. Another way in which the anchoring points for the covering film may be supplied is to mix beads with diameters considerably greater than the diameters of the retroreecting beads with the retroreflectng beads `so thatA a sufficient number ispresent and adequately distributed to supply the necessary anchoring points. Such anchoring beads are illustrated in Fig. 3. If it is desired to distribute the larger anchoring beads throughout the retroreliectingsurface area in a geometrical pattern a temporary pattern may be laid down, the retroreflecting beads affixed in the intervening areas, and then the temporary pattern removed. rf'he larger, anchoring beads may then be afxed in the pattern area. The use of a slow-working adhesive may be preferred in this type of retroreilective surface formation. Since the larger anchoring beads, like the material from which la grid or mesh is made, do not enter into the optical performance of the final retroreflecting surface they may be of any suitable material. For creating an over-all uniform surface it may be preferable to use transparent anchoring beads.

Although the air layer between the top portions of the retroreecting beads and the covering film need be only of molecular thickness, practical considerations such as construction, possibility of some film sagging or stretching and the like, indicate that the anchoring devices such as grid work or anchoring beads should usually be somewhat higher than that required to provide for several molecular thicknesses of air. It has been found preferable in most applications to provide anchoring points which extend about three retroreecting bead diameters above the refiecting material. This allows for an air' layer with an average depth of about two retro- -reecting bead diameters and provides sufiicient ilexibility to permit the retroreecting beads to vary in diameter. However, the diameters of the anchoring beads may conveniently range from about 1.5 to 4 times the diameter of the retroreflecting beads.

Although generally the anchoring points, as pointed out, are preferably raised above the retroreecting beads, the requirement that only a monomolecular layer of air need be present between the covering material and the retrorefiecting beads means that anchoring beads do not have to be yany larger in diameter than the retrorefecting beads. Thus the covering'film may be affixed to a small percentage of beads, leaving the remaining or major portion of the beads unattached to the covering film. Then, unless actual optical contact is maintained between retroreflect-ing bead 4and covering film, there will be present the necessary monomolecular layer of air above the unattached beads. One means by which such a retroreflecting surface may be made would be to mix in with the retrorefiectingV beads, anchoring beads covered with a thermoplastic material. By applying heat to the covering film the covered beadsV could then be affixed to the covering fihn. The covering nlm should be other than a thermoplastic material, or a material having a fusion point above that of the bead covering.

In the process of this invention glass beads ranging in size from about 2 to about 40 mils in diameter may be used las the retroreect-ing beads. The heights of the anchoring points are adjusted according to the diameters ofthe retroreecting beads. The use of such a wide range .of bead diameter is possible because the performance of these beads is independent of an intervening binder layer, the thickness of which must be adjusted according to the bead diameter, i.e., the greater the bead diameter, the thicker must be the binder layer. This adjustment is eliminated in this invention by virtue of the fact that the retroreflecting beads are made to contact the reflecting surface directly. It is preferable, however, that for any one surface the beads have diameters which do not vary by more than a factor of about 2 or 3.

Since the effective refractive index of the retroreflecting beads is the actual refractive index of the glas from which the beads are formed, and is not modified by the refractive index of the organic binding or adhesive medium or the protective film covering them, the index of refraction of the beads may vary somewhat. However, the closer the refractive index of the glass approaches 1.89, the more efiicient will be the resulting retrorefiector since, when the refractive index is 1.89, the focus of .the incident light is directly on the surface of the sphere and consequently on the refiecting material at the point of bead contact. `Since, however, the spherical aberrations inherent in these beads mean that there will' always be a slight deviation in the return path of the incident light, some deviation from this optimum refractive index can be tolerated. Although optimum performance is attained by using heads havingan index of refraction of 1.89, beads having indices of refraction as low as about 1.7 are suitable for the practice of this invention. Likewise, beads having refractive ndices greater than 1.89 are suitable. However, the cost of such beads may be excessive for many applications of retroreectin'g surfaces.

Likewise, with the interposing of the layer of air between the covering film and upper portions of the retroreflecting beads, there can be no detraction from or modification of the index of refraction of the beads because of this top surface.

Although this invention is described in terms of glass beads, it is to be understood that the ret'roreflecting beads do not have to be glass. Any solid, transparent material capable of being formed into approximately spherical shapes having the required refractive index may be used.

It is necessary that a high percentage of the retrorellecting beads actually contact the reflecting material with little or no adhesive material being between them at the point of contact. As pointed out, it is preferable to force the retrorefiecting beads against the reflecting material so that, if iflexible, it is made to contact the beads over a portion of the beads lower surfaces.

.The reliecting material may be a thin sheetrof highly reflecting metal such as aluminum foil or may be a coating placed on a base surface. The choice of reecting material will be primarily determined with regard to the degree of iiexibility desired, Ythe ease of handling, and the like.

The cover film to be stretched over the retroreecting beads and affixed to the anchoring points may be of any suitable transparent material exhibiting good light transmission, among which may be listed as illustrative, but

not as limiting, films of a polyester (such as sold under the trade name Mylar, cellulose acetate, polyvinylidene chloride, polyethylene, cellophane, nylon, and the like.l The thickness of film will depend upon the amount of outside Vpressure it must withstand and the strength of the film material. For example, Mylar films ranging fromabout l to 2.5 mils thick have been found satisfactory. The film may be colorless or may be colored.

Because theadhesive used to x the retroreflecting beads and the anchoring network into place on the reflecting surface is not involved in the optical performance of the final retroreliecting surface, it may be any suitable adhesive or binder, either transparent or not. Since the components, i.e., grid work or anchoring beads and retrorefiecting beads, are conveniently afiixed to the reflecting surface in steps, it is preferable to use a relatively slowsetting adhesive. Thus pressure-sensitive adhesives, delayed tack, or heat-sensitive adhesives are suitable. It is also feasible to use tacky solutions of such well-known organic binders as cellulose acetate and polyvinyl acetal film and such materials as tar, rubber cement, or paint and paint-like materials.

A number of adhesives or binders are also suitable for aliixing the covering film to its anchoring points (such as a grid or large beads scattered throughout or in a pattern). Many such adhesives will occur to those skilled in the art, and since the `adhesive does not enter into the optical performance of the retroreecting surface, its optical properties need not be considered. It is preferable, however, to keep the quantity of adhesive used to a minimum to prevent its interfering with the passage of the incident light beam through the covering film. If a covering film of a thermo-plastic material is used, it may be found unnecessary to use any additional adhesive or binder, for the application of heat may be suiicient to cause the film to seal tightly at the anchor- .that light.

ing points or areas. Likewise, the anchoring beads may be of a thermoplastic material or coated with a thermoplastic material. The application of heat to the covering film will then activate the thermoplastic material to achieve the necessary bonding.

This invention may be further described by an example illustrating one typical way of making a retroreflective surface using glass beads for the retroreflecting beads and a vinyl screening as the grid work to furnish the anchoring points for the cover film which was polyethylene with an average thickness of about 2 mils. The ,example will be presented with reference to Fig. 4.

A sheet of aluminum foil 12 (about 1 mil thick) was coated with a thin coat of tacky solution of epoxy adhesive 14 and was then covered with a vinyl screening 17. After the screening was pressed into place, glass beads having an average diameter of about 4 mils and an index of refraction of 1.9 were deposited on the screen covered aluminum foil so that they filled the areas between the grid work of the screen. These glass beads were pressed down against the aluminum foil 12 so that contact was made between them and the foil, the adhesive being forced to occupy the spaces between the beads. Excess beads were removed by lightly brushing them off. The polyethylene iilm was then lightly stretched over the vinyl screening and heat applied for a short period just long enough to seal the polyethylene to the screening. The resulting retroreiiective surface reected an incident beam of light back to the light source and exhibited efficiencies comparable to or better than those of the two types of retroreecting surfaces described as typical .of the present art.

markings is attained without loss of ocieney of the sign or marker to reeet back incident light to the source of As shown in ythe above discussion, the retroreecting surface of this invention may be `easily made, either as a prefabricated surface which may be applied where desired, or it may be made in situ. `Furthermore the retroreective surface of this invention can be made using any desired adhesive and transparent cover film since these elements do not enter into the optical characteristics of the final retroreflecting surface.

CTL

We claim:

1. A substantially smooth, retroreecting area, comprising a reflecting material, retroreeeting beads in close relationship to one another, and in fixed contacting relationship to said reflecting material, a flexible transparent film ranging in thickness from about 1 to 2,5 mils overlying and substantially coextensive with said reflecting material, `and means for maintaining said transparent lm in fixed relationship to said reflecting material and out of contact with and unattached to a major portion of said retroreecting beads, said means including a plurality of anchoring points distributed over the area of the said refleeting material and being of sufficient height to provide a layer of air of at least molecular thickness between said transparent film and said retrorefiecting beads.

2. T he invention defined in claim 1 wherein said means for maintaining said transparent lm in fixed relationship to said reflecting material and out of contact with and unattached to a major portion of said retroreflecting beads comprises ya -vinyl screening network.

3. The invention defined in claim l wherein said means for maintaining said transparent lm in xed relationship to said reflecting material and out of contact with and `unattached to a major portion of said retroreiiecting beads comprises a plurality of beads having a diameter from `approximately 1.5 to 4 times the diameter of the diameter `of said retroreflecting beads. 4. `The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said flexible transparent film is colored.

5.' Theinvention defined in claim 1 wherein the index of refraction of said retroreileeting beads ranges from y1.7 to 2.0.

i References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 722,847 Iumeau Mar. 17, 1903 1,093,498 Thring Apr. 14, 1914 1,649,708 Large et al Nov. 15, 1927 1,670,327 Tobener May 22, 1928 `1,959,090 Wood May 15, 1934 2,143,946 Hunter Jan. 17, 1939 2,377,508 Michaels June 5, 1945. 2,379,741 Palmquist July 3, 1945 2,407,680 Palmquist et al Sept. 17, 1946 Luce May 27, 1947 

